because this is DEFINITELY going to pay dividends on player development.

remember Bright Dike? remember him getting selected with a high pick by the Columbus Crew then getting cut? well, it was his time with the USL Timbers that earned him his place back in MLS and this offseason he was earning caps with the Nigerian national team (oh yeah and he thankfully played Kris Boyd's fat, lazy, money-stealing ass straight out of the league, too, in a half a season no less).

so yeah -- Bright Dike, the Portland Timbers, and the Nigerian national team can thank USL for giving a player like him a chance. I'm sure he wasn't the first, I'm sure he won't be the last.